


Parental Instinct

by TheIronMechanic



Series: Tony Stark is a great father-figure series [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Irondad, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23462089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIronMechanic/pseuds/TheIronMechanic
Summary: “You know what I just realized? 51 looks like SI.” Peter says as he just discovered a new element.“Yeah, so?” Ned says as confused as he is feeling. Still listening, Tony sets both pineapple juices on the table.“Therefore Area 51 is actually owned by Tony Stark!” Mouth agape, both kids turn their heads towards him, expecting an answer.“Somehow you got the correct outcome from a wildly unscientific method”“I’m just good like that.” 3, 2, 1, aaaand “Wait. WHAT?” There it is. “Mr. Stark how could you keep this a secret from me! How could yo-“ He lets the kid continue to ramble, a smile on his face.
Relationships: Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Tony Stark is a great father-figure series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1687837
Comments: 22
Kudos: 283





	Parental Instinct

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language so all mistakes are mine.

When did he think this was a good idea?

“Do you think that the robot will like me?”

“Who? Dumm-E? He likes everyone dude. One time he even made me a smoothie, he is so cute! Yeah, it had motor oil in it, but it was a nice gesture.”

“Oh wow dude that’s so cool!”

“I know dude!”

“I’m so excited! You have no idea! This is going to be the best day ever!”

“I know! I’ve been wanting to take you with me for so long but Mr. Stark always said no. Now though, he finally agreed! I mean _obviously_ , because then you wouldn’t be here. But between you and me” he whispers, but not low enough for the older man to hear “I think it was Ms. Potts idea, he can never say no to her.” 

“Kid”

“Huh?”

“I can hear you, and I’m ten seconds away from stopping and kicking both your asses out of my car. I might not just lose my ear because you keep talking and rambling, but you might just lose your foot if you don’t put it on the ground. Because I swear kid, and this goes to you too, Ted? Fred? If when we get out of this car, I see so much as a footprint somewhere that’s not the floor, I will make sure that Friday doesn’t let any of you in the tower for at least 3 months. _Capisce_?”

Both kids stare at him wide-eyed. Tony just sights, a bit less tense after letting it all out. He might’ve been a bit harsh, but his head couldn’t take it anymore. Between the mild migraine he thinks he might have since this morning and both of the kid’s squeaky voices, his brain was 2 seconds away from shutting down.

Finally able to breath, he turns the volume of the radio up, a soft pop song playing. Of course, Gen Z music. Great. Changing his mind, he turns it back down and he can hear the kids whispering again.

“He’s just bluffing, don’t believe him. He’s a big softie, he just won’t admit it.”

“You know he sounds like a dad, right? I mean, to anyone else who doesn’t know you he might just look like _your_ dad.”

“WHAT?” Both Tony and Peter say at the same time. What is the kid talking about? Him acting like a dad? He has no idea what he’s talking about. A dad wouldn’t act like him. He just takes Peter to his house to teach him stuff, gives him lectures almost every day because he always does something stupid, then they have dinner and takes him-. 

Oh.

_Oh_. 

Shit.

“Mr. Stark is not- he’s not my dad, Ned.” He laughs slightly. He might have to teach the kid to laugh more convincingly, because that was fake, _really_ fake.

“I’m not saying he _is_ your dad, I’m just saying he sounds and looks like one.” Ted? Fred? Ned? says defensively. “I mean, don’t get me wrong Mr. Stark Iron Man sir, it’s just that you know, you uhm, teach him stuff, just like my dad does when he has to help me with history. You- uhm, youpick him up and take him to eat something after school, you make sure he tells you whenever he goes out as Spider-man to make sure he is safe, you give him lectures. You-“ He turns around to look directly at Peter “You gave him a present for father’s day Peter, for God’s sake!” Peter opens and closes his mouth, Tony’s eyes just locked on the road, unable to say anything. “I mean, I’m sorry but that just looks like dad’s behavior to me. So.” 

He’s right isn’t he? Is it that obvious? How can people notice these stuff when he just discovered them himself like 2 minutes ago? Sometimes he feels like an open book for people to read, and he hates it. He’s Tony Stark goddamnit, he should be just the opposite. He’s had to shield himself from everyone else’s opinions of him his whole life, surely he can stop his paternal feelings for the kid from showing, right?

“That’s crazy Ned. That’s-“ He chuckles nervously.

“He’s right kiddo.” Both kids gasp. The car comes to a stop, they have finally come to their destination, Stark Tower. Putting the car on park, Tony takes his seatbelt and his sunglasses off, turning around to face them. “Unintentionally I’ve been acting a bit like that, I guess you could call it instinct. And I’ve just now realized that it’s, uhm, kind of a parental instinct. Like an instinct to protect you and, take care of you I guess? I don’t really know.” He sights and looks at Peter, who is just looking at him with his mouth wide open.

“Mr. Stark, I- Thank you.” He just smiles softly. _This kid_. The moment is ruined when the other kid,whom Tony just forgotten about starts clapping.

“Yeah! I knew it!” Suddenly he stops, and looks quickly between the other two occupants of the car. “So that means-“ He gasps and puts his hand over his mouth. “That means my best friend’s dad is Tony Stark! My best friend’s dad is Iron Man! Oh my God Peter this is so cool! _Oh my God!”_

Tony just starts laughing as he sees Peter blush, his face red as a tomato. He gets our of the car, both kids following closely behind, all embarrassment lost, talking about their nerdy things all the way to the elevator.

“Can we tinker with your suit Mr. Stark Iron Man sir?”

“You can call me Tony kid, maybe you will be the first, because this one” He ruffles Peter’s hair “still calls me Mr. Stark.”

“Okay Mr.- I mean Tony.” Ned then turns to face his best friend “I can call him Tony, I’m on a first name basis with Iron Man! I think I’m dead and this is just a dream.” Before anyone can respond, the doors of the elevator open, Tony getting out first.

“Okay kids, welcome to my lab. Peter you know where everything is, what you can touch and what you can’t, so just show him around. I’m going to go to the penthouse and get us something to eat. I’ll get you some pineapple juice or something, be right back.”

He leaves both hyper-excited kids on his lab. It may not be the best idea, but he trusts Peter and somehow, he can also trust Ned. If he has stayed with his kid after so long, he can be trusted. Oh God, did he just call him _his kid_? Well, he better get used to that now.

Once he gets back down, he can overhear their conversation. He was expecting another nerdy conversation, this time about science, considering where they are and what they are going to do this afternoon, but _boy was he wrong_.

“You know what I just realized? 51 looks like SI.” Peter says as he just discovered a new element.

“Yeah, so?” Ned says as confused as he is feeling. Still listening, Tony sets both pineapple juices on the table.

“Therefore Area 51 is actually owned by Tony Stark!” Mouth agape, both kids turn their heads towards him, expecting an answer.

“Somehow you got the correct outcome from a wildly unscientific method”

“I’m just good like that.” _3, 2, 1, aaaand_ “Wait. WHAT?” There it is. “Mr. Stark how could you keep this a secret from me! How could yo-“ He lets the kid continue to ramble, a smile on his face.

He might be a nerd, but wasn’t he one when he was his age? Isn’t he one now? He loves the kid, there’s no doubt. He will do anything to protect him, to keep him safe and happy as long as he lives. And if that means letting him believe that he owns Area 51. So be it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this story. Make sure to leave a kudo and a comment, they help a lot. 
> 
> You can also leave a comment with a prompt you want me to fill and I'll try to write it. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Inspired by this prompt on tumblr:
> 
> Peter: 51 looks like SI  
> Peter: therefore area 51 is actually owned by Tony Stark  
> Tony:  
> Tony: somehow you got the correct outcome from a wildly unscientific method  
> Peter: I'm just good like that  
> Peter, realizing: wait, WHAT


End file.
